How to Choose a Cutting Board and Care for It (so That It Does Not Ruin the Knife)
Having a quality knife you can rely on is only half the cutting process. Knives need to be cared for, honed and sharpened, but knife care extends to your cutting board. Cutting boards give you a large, stable surface for slicing and dicing, and they can make cleanup much easier, but some cutting boards can shorten the life of your knives. Here’s an overview of the cutting board materials you should choose from, how to care for them, and what to avoid.
End grain hardwood cutting boards are worth the investment.
The best material for a cutting board is something that is hard and durable, but with enough pliability that the knife blade won’t become dull or, worse, chipped. Most professionals will recommend hardwoods such as maple, acacia, beech, cherry or walnut, with end grain considered the best option. Imagine a two-by-four. There are long smooth sides and rougher ends. You need that rough side. This part of the wood provides a softer surface for the blade to strike; exposed wood fibers can “catch” the blade. Hardwood with end grains usually looks like a checkerboard made up of these ends.
End grain cutting boards can be an investment. These are some of the most beautiful and durable boards, but they are also some of the most expensive (and heaviest). A thicker board will be more expensive, but less prone to warping. With proper care, they can last for decades.
If you value beauty with purpose, use an end-grain cutting board:
- Acacia wood end cutting board with legs
- Large teak cutting board with end grain
- Oil and wax for end grain
Never, ever put your gorgeous end grain cutting board in the dishwasher. Never. You paid a lot of money for this board. Treat it with kindness. Hot dishwasher water combined with harsh detergents and long wash cycles can damage, splinter and warp any wooden board.
Instead, hand wash it and pat dry. Dripping drying is normal, but you don’t want puddles of standing water left on the wood for long periods of time. Once a month, generously apply food-safe wood oil to the board and let it soak in for one or two hours. Wipe off excess. To keep your board looking its best, wax it once a month after oiling. Apply a layer of wax evenly to all parts of the cutting board and let it set for a few hours or overnight. Buff off any excess with a lint-free cloth. This will help seal the board, prevent knife marks, and prevent bacteria from accumulating in the scars.
Plastic cutting boards are practical and easy to clean.
Like wooden cutting boards, plastic cutting boards are durable yet soft enough to maintain a knife’s cutting edge. A quality plastic cutting board is great for cooks who value something low-maintenance, lightweight, and thinner than a wooden cutting board. Plastic does not require spa treatment with oil and wax; It can usually be washed in the dishwasher without damaging it, it stores easily, and you can find great models at affordable prices. Most professional kitchens use plastic cutting boards.
There are a few disadvantages to consider. Plastic is not as beautiful as wood. While wooden boards make great garnishes for charcuterie boards, I never use a plastic board when serving guests. Plastic also leaves scars and needs to be replaced more often. When you cut a plastic board, the plastic will give way. After several cuts, deep slices can form, and thin plastic shavings can break off (and sometimes end up in food). Bacteria can grow in these caves, and plastic can trap odors. Eventually the board has to go. I’ve noticed, unsurprisingly, that the cheaper and thinner the board, the sooner these cuts appear, causing plastic shavings to fall onto the ingredients.
Plastic boards combining quality and availability:
Find a plastic board that is at least 1/4 inch thick. I haven’t yet found an ultra-thin flexible plastic board that I like, but that doesn’t mean you need a board as thick as the end-grain variety. Since a plastic board won’t last as long as a wooden board, don’t pay as much. You’ll be able to purchase a durable cutting board that you can easily replace in a year or two.
Not all plastic is dishwasher safe, so check the care instructions before purchasing. Otherwise, the plastic cutting board can be washed by hand. I like to brush mine to get into the textured surface.
Bamboo and wood edge boards are the happy medium.
There’s a lot of hate for bamboo and edged cutting boards, but you won’t find them here. They may not be as advanced as their end-grain cousins, but there is a time and place for these boards. Bamboo and end-grain wood cutting boards are harder than end grain. As I mentioned, this can be an issue, and we’ll talk about that next, but both materials have enough pliability to keep your knives in good condition, provided you sharpen them a little more often.
The main selling point is the price. A large maple cutting board with end grain can cost up to $200, but an end grain version will cost about half that, and a bamboo cutting board with the same features will cost about $70. These boards combine the beauty of a natural material at a reduced price, which can mean a lot. My bamboo and side boards are practical but pretty enough to set the stage for beautiful cheese boards. Oh, does that mean I have to sharpen my knives more often? Deal with.
Here are a couple of beautiful cutting boards that won’t break your budget:
- Extra large bamboo cutting board with juice groove
- Kenosha Extra Large Cutting Board with Acacia Edge
An added bonus is that bamboo boards don’t need to be oiled, and the material is usually more environmentally friendly than others. If you really want to, you can oil the bamboo and it will give your board a nice look. Wood planks, regardless of texture, should still be maintained by oiling them monthly to keep the wood supple and prevent it from drying out. Do not put wooden or bamboo cutting boards in the dishwasher. Wash them by hand to ensure they last as long as possible.
Avoid paper composite boards, glass and stones.
Remember when I told you that good cutting boards are durable but offer little benefit? Well, what’s missing in the tenderness department is paper composite, marble and glass. They are much harder than the thin and sharp edge of a knife. Composite paper boards, such as Epicurean brand cutting boards, are made from a material called Richlite , which consists of tightly packed layers of paper. It is often recycled, making the material more environmentally friendly, and many people do this. The resulting material is extremely hard, durable and can be used in the kitchen, as well as in building construction and guitar making. The Richlite cutting board is easy to clean (usually dishwasher safe), non-porous, thin and lightweight, but tough on blades.
Glass cutting boards are, well, glass. They are hard, have zero kickback, yet are durable. They are non-porous, so they are easy to clean and do not absorb odors. These boards usually have texture on the underside and have feet to prevent them from sticking to the countertop. Glass cutting boards are not lightweight and are quite fragile. Compared to other options, glass boards are more likely to break. If you have a glass cutting board, use it as a cheese plate.
Marble is great, but save it for tempering chocolate and confectionery. The hard stone surface will dull your blades; even a thin one is heavier than most wood butcher blocks, and marble can easily crack if you hit it the wrong way or accidentally drop it.
Neither paper composite nor marble nor glass cutting boards will do your knives any good. The materials are so durable that they won’t wear out, but your knives probably will. A cutting board that is harder than the metal of the blade will dull your knives much faster than a material that lends itself to it. As soon as you try to cut such a surface, you will realize that it is wrong. This doesn’t seem right. If you’re morbidly curious about what this looks like, cutting on a ceramic plate with a shiny glazed (glass) surface will give you the same effect. Besides the damage it does to your knives, it’s loud as hell. You will get tired of clicking instantly. Save yourself the headache and choose one of the other materials.
Practice polyamory on a cutting board
You don’t have to stick with one type of board for the rest of your life. It’s a good idea to have several boards of different sizes and even different materials. Having your own grown-up kitchen means you’re in control, so personalize your collection. If you’re cutting a lot of large, juicy fruits or carving up roasted meats, you’ll need a large cutting board with a groove to catch the juices. (This is the ditch that runs along the edge of some of the cutting boards I listed above, and it saves lives.) It will catch the juices so they don’t drip onto your counter, but also so you can collect them for sauce. salad dressing or fruit syrup.
It’s a good idea to have cutting boards designed for different purposes, such as a dishwasher-safe plastic one for meat if you’re concerned about bacteria, or a board just for onions if you’re concerned about odors. If possible, purchase products in different sizes. You’ll be happy that you don’t have to pull out the butcher block to cut up a few lemons. Cutting boards are an investment and you don’t have to buy them every month. Keep them in good condition and you will become an indispensable tool in the kitchen.